Tag Archives: Basingstoke

This third volume in the story of the end of Southern steam covers events upon the region from April to July 1966 when the sun nearly always shone and came earliest in the south! A variety of steam power was still to be seen and we feature 15 classes of engine. The Waterloo to Weymouth line workings are well covered and this was a time when another section of the Isle of Wight Railway closed, Ventnor to Shanklin. The last runs of the Maunsell moguls occurred with their magnificent finale on the two Longmoor railtours in April. “GORDON” of the Longmoor Railway was at large on the Southern Region, and the last steam engine on the Weymouth tramway put in its appearance. On this day the only Black 5 to work a railtour on Southern metals is seen. This video has full lineside coverage of these events with some footplate scenes and an in depth look at motive power depots like Nine Elms. Locations include Bincombe bank, Basingstoke, Wimbledon, Waterloo, Windsor, Salisbury, Bournemouth and Yeovil, along with Ryde to Ventnor on the Isle of Wight. There is even a trolleybus and a flying P.W. trolley!

Looks at the events on the Southern Region in March/April 1966 and features 17 different BR and Southern classes. Covers Waterloo to Weymouth main line and its workings plus three railtours. The “New Forester from Eastleigh to Gosport, Fawley and Lymington, with U, Ql and USA tanks. The visit of A4 pacific Kingfisher for a whole weekend for runs to Weymouth and Exeter. The Wilts and Hants utilised U and N Class moguls and the last run with a Bulleid Ql Class, 33006 from Salisbury. The many main line trains are seen at locations such as Waterloo, Clapham, West Byfleet, Basingstoke, Eastleigh, Southampton and Bournemouth, and lineside in between. Steam in Kent is seen by way of the steam outpost at Ashford wagon works where a C Class 0-6-0 still worked alongside two departmental USA tanks; others are seen at Southampton Docks.

The Southern Railway was the smallest of the “Big Four” but its locomotives could hold their own against anything on the other three and in some cases certainly out-perform them. This video shows them in action from film shot by Jim Oatway in 1961 and 1962 when although Bulleid Pacifics were the main players on the Southern scene, after all there were 140 of them, the last of the Lord Nelsons, King Arthurs and Schools were still at work.

We see them on the ex-LSWR route out of Waterloo on weekdays and summer Saturdays, on expresses and Basingstoke semi-fasts. Alongside this action, freight to and from Feltham and Nine Elms yards was worked by Maunsell S15′s, Bulleid Q1′s and the inevitable U and N class Moguls.

A visit to Feltham shed shows us in great detail the massive H16, G16 and W class heavy tank locos, not just a glimpse but long detailed views you can appreciate.

The rural charm of the Hayling Island Branch and workings on the Isle-of-Wight in 1962 at Ryde lead into never to be repeated scenes of Haywards Heath when the famous “Bluebelle” specials ran with preserved motive power on the main line using locos T9 No.120, Caley Single No.123, “Birch Grove” and the Adams Radial No.488.

The early sixties saw Barry Eagles roaming the rails south and west to record the last workings of steam in the South Wales coalfields with 72xx, 56xx, Panniers, Granges and Halls. Journeying via Gloucester, Yeovil and Templecombe we arrive at Southampton Docks where USA tanks worked the wharves and even 3440 “City of Truro” paid a visit. We visit the Isle-of-Wight for the 02 class, Hayling Island for Terriers, Ashford for C class and the ex-LSWR main line from Basingstoke to Weymouth for Bulleids, Standards, S15, Moguls, M7, B4 and the ex-GWR Halls on the Bournemouth to Birkenhead working. Salisbury, Fawley, Lymington and the Swanage branch are also featured.